Page:Preparation of the Child for Science.djvu/56

52 holiday companion for children than the town-bred, school-trained governess, however much the latter may know about 'ovaries' and 'stipules,' and the names of classes and orders.

Thirdly, when you have decided on your subject, how shall you proceed to direct the action of the children's unconscious brain towards it?

We will begin with the preparation for Natural History. Choose as pets animals to whom you can give some sort of real natural life. Give the children something to do in connexion with the animals. If you cannot entrust the feeding or cleaning of the pets to the children, you can at least make it their business to give the horse his daily treat of fruit or sugar or bread, the dog his bath or swim. If you have birds in cages—a thing which I cannot believe is right where there are children, as I think it gives them a false start as to the rationale of our power over the lower creatures; but still, if you do—let the children accustom the birds to fly about the room and perch on their hands and heads. Let them make a garden for the cage-birds by sowing bird-seed and chickweed in pots, so that they may watch the birds picking green shoots as they grow. But it is far better to let them feed and tame wild birds.